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No. 010,004. Patent ed Au 30, I898. w. H. TALLEY.

RAIL BOND.

(Application filed Nov. 26, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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\VILLIAM H. TALLEY, OF VVACO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNEASSIGNMENTS, OF NINE-TENTHS TO GEORGE H. WILLIAMS, CHARLES B. EAMES, ANDC. R. SHERRILL, OF SAME PLACE.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 610,004, dated August30, 1898,

Application filed November 26,1891; Serial No. 659,869. (No model.)

To alZ whom it may con/067%:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. TALLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vaco, in the county ofMcLennan and State of Texas, have invented certain new and use fulImprovements in Electric Track-Circuit Rail-Joints, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof. 1

My invention relates to improvements in electric track-circuitrail-joints; and it consists in the novel combination and arrangement ofparts more fully set forth and dein the claims. I

In the drawings, Figure 1 isavertical crosssection of a rail-jointconstructed according to my invention, taken through that portionadjacent to one of the securing-bolts. Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofthe base of one of the angular fish-plates, broken away; and Fig. 3 is aperspective View of one of the conducting-bars, also broken away.

The object of my invention is to construct a perfect rail-jointthat is,one that will not only stand the rough usage to which the same isnecessarilysubjected, but at the same time convey the electric currentfrom one rail to the other without any leakage or loss of thecurrent-the parts being so constructed that no moisture or water canpossibly come in contact with those parts, of the rails and fishplatesand angle-bars that are in direct coni tact with the electricconducting-bars, which form a rigid and compact part of the railjoint.Further than this, the electric conducting-bars are entirely hidden'fromview and cannot be cut, destroyed, or removed, as is generally donewhere they are exposed.

Briefly stated, the invention consists of the employment of the ordinaryrails Without alteration of any kind, angular bars, and fishplates, oneof which is provided with smooth openings for the free passage of thebolts, the other provided With screw-threaded openings for receiving thescrew-threaded ends of .the bolts, the said bolts 'being of sufficientlength to pass a suitable distance beyond scribed in the specificationand pointed out said last-named fish-plate when the parts are 5c in acompact position, nuts screwed on said projecting ends of the bolts andagainst said fish-plate vforming a perfect nut-lock for bold ing theparts in their compact position, grooves formed on the lower surface ofthe base of each fish-plate, and electric conducting-bars snugly andcompactly located in said grooves and bearing against and in directcontactwith the upper surface of the base of the rail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a rail of ordinary constructionand composed of a ball or tread portion 2, base 3, web 4, connectingthe. tread portion with the base, and openings 5, formed in said web forthe free passage of the bolts 6.

The angle-bar or fish-plate 7, which is located on one side of themeeting ends of the rails, is provided with an opening 8, of smoothbore, through which the bolts 6 are freely passed, the head 9 of saidbolts being normally in direct contact with the outer vertical surfaceof said angle-bar. The opposite angle-bar 10 is provided withscrew-threaded openings 11 on a line with the openings 5 of the Web ofthe rail and the openings 8 of the angle-bar 7v for receiving thescrew-threaded ends 12 of the bolts 6, and when the said bolts arescrewed home by turning the bolts from the heads 9 thereof the partswill be thoroughly drawn together. The bolts are ,of sufiicient lengthto project a suitable dis tance beyond the outer vertical surface 13 ofthe angle-bar 1O Whenthe parts are prop erly assembled, and upon saidprojecting ends are screwed nuts 14, the latter being tightly turnedagainst the vertical outer surface 13 of the angle-bar 10. By this meansit is impossible for the parts to become loosened and thereby destroythe electrical bonding go now to be described.

Formed on the lowersurface of the base flange 15 of each of theangle-bars and at the inner corner of the same, or that part of theangle-bars that is adjacent to the juncture of the web and base of therail is a longitudinal triangular-shaped groove 16, the upper Wall 17 ofwhich is slightly arranged at an angle to the Vertical wall 18 of saidgroove. Located within each of said grooves 16 is a conductingtriangular shaped bar 19, made, preferably, of copper, the sameconforming approximately to the form or shape of the groove whichreceives the same. When the parts are properly assembled together, theflat surfaces 20 of the conducting-bars 19 will be in direct contactwith the upper flat surface 21 of the base 3 of the rail. The lower flatsurfaces 20 of the conducting-bars are slightly curved or rounded attheir reduced edges, as shown at 22, whereby they may easily ride overthe upper flat surface of the base of the rail when the parts are drawntogether and further to conform to that surface of the rail should theinner surfaces of the angle-bars at any time be brought in contact withthe web of the rail through necessity.

I do not limit myself to the exact shape of the conducting-bars hereinshown and described or their exact location, as the same may be locatedat a position anywhere between the junction of'the base and web of therail; but the location herein shown is preferable from the fact that theangle-bars are not weakened by the groovesfor receiving saidconducting-bars.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. A rail-joint,comprising a suitable rail having a base angle-bar located on eitherside of said rail and having basal flanges, normally in contact with thebase of the rail, angular-shaped grooves formed in the basal flanges ofthe angle-bars, and triangular conducting-bars located in said groovesand in direct contact with upper surfaces of the base of the rail,substantially as described.

2. A rail-joint comprising a suitable rail having a base and web,angle-bars located on either side of said rail, and having basalflanges, angular-shaped grooves formed on the lower surface of the basalflanges of the angle-bars, angular conducting-bars having rounded edges,said conducting-bars being in direct contact with the upper surface ofthe base of the rail, and located with their rounded edges adjacent tothe web of the rail, substantially as described.

3. An electric track-circuit rail-joint, comprising a suitable railhaving a base and web portion, angle-bars located on either side of saidrails, and having basal flanges, angularshaped grooves formed on thelower surface of the basal flanges 0f the angle-bars, each of which iscomposed of a vertical fiat wall, triangular-shaped conducting-barsadapted to be snugly received by said grooves, the lower inclined sidesthereof being in direct contact with the upper surface of the base ofthe rail, whereby said bars are rigidly and compactly held between theseveral parts, in such a position as to thoroughly convey the electricalcurrent, substantially as described.

4. An electric track-circuit rail-joint, comprising a suitable railhaving a base and web portion, angle-bars located on either side of saidrail and having basal flanges, angularshaped grooves formed on the lowersurface of the basal flanges of the angle-bars, each groove of which iscomposed of a vertical flat wall, and an upper flat wall,triangular-shaped conducting-bars snugly located within said grooves,each of said bars having a lower flat and rounded surface, the flatsurface thereof being in direct contact with the upper surface of thebase of the rail, and the rounded surface out of contact, whereby theconducting-bars are permitted to ride over the upper surface of the baseof the rail when the parts are drawn together, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

IVILLIAM I-I. TALLEY.

Witnesses:

A. E. PACE, F. M. MAXWELL.

